-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The British tourist who caught a 1-year-old child who fell from the fourth-floor balcony of an Orlando , Florida , hotel was honored by government and business leaders Friday .

Officials credit Helen Beard 's quick thinking with saving Jah-Nea Myles ' life . Beard was in the pool area of the Econo Lodge Inn and Suites around 9:15 Thursday evening when , after hearing horrific screams , she looked up to see a small child hanging from a hotel balcony .

`` We heard shouts and I turned around , '' said Beard , 44 , a mother who was on vacation with her partner , Philip Charlesworth , and her 10-year-old son , Ben . `` I was able to run over and catch Jah-Nea , '' she said .

Beard said it appeared the girl slipped through a railing along the balcony walkway , deputies told CNN affiliate WKMG .

See hotel and how far child fell

Just hours later , Beard , a health services analyst , was honored for her `` heroic actions . '' She was given a `` Medal of Merit '' by the Orange County Sheriff 's Department , the International Drive Chamber of Commerce and the state Department of Children and Families for showing `` unusual instinct and initiative '' when she leaped into action .

`` It all happened so fast , '' said Beard , who was still shocked by all the attention . `` I just sat with her and tried to calm her down while everyone was panicking around me . ''

Helena Myles , the child 's mother , said she left her daughter with a friend in a motel room , according to WKMG . The friend , Dominique Holt , said he went to use the bathroom and then found the hotel room door open after hearing screams , the sheriff 's office said .

A woman who was in the hotel room with Holt said she did n't know the child was there , according to deputies .

No charges have been filed in the case .

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Helen Beard is given a `` Medal of Merit '' by government and business leaders

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The tourist from England caught Jah-Nea Myles as she fell from a fourth-story balcony

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Beard 's `` quick-thinking and heroic actions '' are credited with saving the child 's life